Drum Stuff

This page contains miscellaneous information regarding drum tuning and other techniques.

I have been tuning my bongos (and congas) since 1959 and the following method is what I use and have used all the time and I have never had a head break whether tuned or un-tuned (except when they actually wore out:

1) initially I start by loosening all the lugs and then hand tightening

2) then doing complete turns on each lug with a wrench until the skins get a mellow tone when struck

3) then check each head for even tuning by tapping each head at the tuning rod and tweaking until there is essentially the same tone all around each drum

4) then using complete turns, tune each drum until you get close to the sound you want

5) fine tune using equal partial turns all around each drum tune until you get the sounds you want; I tune essentially between a 4th and a 5th even when playing 2 or more congas/timbales/drums which provides a decent guaguancó dum-dum of the DUM-dum-dum-DUM; the 4th to 5th tuning of bongos are not so noticeable as with congas but that is still the relationship I try to achieve.

6) when done playing , tune the smaller drum(s) down using 2 complete turns for each lug and 1 complete turn for the larger drum(s); this will release the heads enough to prevent breaking with heat/moisture changes and will allow future tunings to be done quickly by reversing step 6) and then fine tuning if necessary

7) check that the heads are evenly tuned every once in a while

Additional Notes

I do not use any oil on the heads but when necessary because of dirt/oil buildup I will clean the detuned heads with alcohol but I do tend to have moderately oily hands. I tune and clean my congas essentially the same way as I tune my bongos. Currently I use a synthetic head on the bongo macho and I seldom tune/detune it; it has a fairly consistent tone so the fine tuning of both drums is usually done to optimize the sound of the hembra. I also try not to be in tune with other instruments especially the bass.

I attempt to tune my bongos similarly to how I tune my congas, i.e., between a 4th and a 5th apart...this is similar to the DUM-dum-dum-DUM of a guaguancó. I start by getting the best tone possible on the hembra and then tune the macho appropriately. I also attempt to tune both congas and bongos (and drums and timbales) so the tones do not match any actual tone on the piano or bass...I feel if drums are tuned to match the exact tones of the other instruments, the tones can be lost when played. By tuning the drums relative to each other but not to other instruments, melodic elements can be played.

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Mounting conga and bongo heads:

Mounting bongo skins are not very hard but they do take careful work (conga heads are essentially the same but a bit harder because of the thickness of the heads): 1) soak the head until very pliable 2) place head on drum 3) slip flesh hoop over top of drum and fold skin up 4) slip tuning ring down over the folded up skin 5) pull skin tight (pliers can help) to get the correct position of the tuning rim 6) tighten head very slightly 7) very very carefully trim excess head down to the tuning rim (I place a metal spatula between the skin next to the shell and the skin next to the tuning rim to prevent cutting the head next to the shell and trim with a very sharp knife) I have not mounted an x-ray film but I suspect that the process would be essentially the same except there would be no soaking of the head.

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Martillo (bongos)

The martillo is a basic pattern for bongos (which also helps develop technique).

basic martillo

for right-handers the symbols are:

R right hand/finger(s)

L left hand/finger(s)

I right index finger

M right middle finger

t thumb of left hand pressing down to raise pitch (note: place t on macho before the 1)

f last 3 fingers of left hand slightly pressing down

O open tone right finger, either I or M or sometimes M and fourth fingers

m macho

h hembra

BTW the "martillo variation", I have used in very slow "jazz" tunes is not a martillo, it is a so-called martillo variation:

1&a2&a3&a4&a

RLLRLLRLLRLL

IffMftIffMft

mmmmmmmmmhmm

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Increasing Speed on Bongos (applies to congas and other drums as well)

one way increase overall speed is to practice martillo using a metronome for at least 5 minutes (longer is better)...get the martillo down solid and strong at slow speed (actually a strong slow martillo is harder to do well than a fast martillo)...slowly increase the speed of the metronome...again get the pattern down solid and strong... repeat...repeat...repeat!

at any time if you cannot maintain a solid and strong martillo for 5 or more minutes, slow the metronome down and begin again.

solid and strong means each 1&2&3&4& strike is heard clearly including the &s.

although many folks seem to downplay the martillo, variations from the martillo will be easy at any speed if a solid and strong martillo can be played at the desired speed.

I also suggest that you try to develop you sounds unmiked...miking can be used later after your strength and endurance has been developed.

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Protecting Fiber Drum Cases

I use spray-on furniture wax on my fiber drum cases to prevent moisture (drinks, rain, etc.) from damaging the cases.

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Hint regarding comfort of bongos:

Assuming right-handed, twist hardware on macho counter-clockwise and hembra clockwise to fit knees/legs.

first, I am not a leg body builder and I have no trouble holding bongos for several hours!

you don't have to use a death grip on the bongos...relax and hold them with just enough force to keep them from moving...squeeze tighter when playing hard licks, e.g., slaps and power open tones...then relax again...if they
slip, just re-adjust...five things help:

1) lighter weight bongos are easier to hold for long periods
2) find the comfortable notch between the thigh and the lower leg what is it
called?)
3) when playing the bongo bell, you can relax just enough so that the bongos
do not fall to the floor
4) when playing the bell, you can also change your leg position, feet
forward/backward slightly to help relax the muscles
5) if possible adjust the tuning rods so that they do not dig into the
muscles.

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Slaps in martillo:

I do not know of any regular bongo pattern which uses slaps...slaps are used
in solos...although "semi-slaps" are frequently used in accent variations

by semi-slap I mean the loud accents which are frequently played by the left
middle finger (right handed players) as a rimshot...I hold the bongos in the
notch below the knees and use my left thigh as a stop for the heel of the
left hand which adds speed and power to the impact of the finger near the
edge of the macho...when done properly it is louder and cleaner than slaps
performed with poor technique..IMHO this semi-slap/rimshot cannot be done
effectively if the edge of the bongos are held above the thighs or if the
bongos are on a stand.

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VicFirth.com

Contains a lot of very well presented drum playing info.